Top ten ways to pass as Irish - tips for tourists in Ireland

1. Wait approximately two minutes before sipping a Guinness, allowing it to settle completely.

After the bartender has poured your pint, the Guinness will be a light brown color and you’ll note that the liquid is moving towards the bottom of the class and becoming darker. You should wait until it has all settled and has turned the iconic black color before taking a sip. For tips on how to pour the perfect pint. Read more: The secret to pouring the perfect pint of Guinness -VIDEO

3. Venture to the local pub for some real trad (traditional/folk music) and use the word craic (good times)!

Many pubs offer live music which can vary from traditional folk music to current hits. Make sure to stop in a pub with a group of trad musicians. A group of about four musicians might be on a small stage or gathered around a table.

Common instruments include the fiddle, bodhran (hand held drum), penny whistle, and uilleann pipes.

There’s no way around it, it rains a lot in Ireland. Don’t cut your excursion short because of a bit of water. Grab a raincoat and chances are the rain will stop in a while. Don’t wear too much rain gear, it’s a give away sign of a tourist.

There are many beautiful “hiking trails” throughout Ireland for both the novice and expert hill walker. Hill walking is a great way to learn about the local folklore and history. Leave the beaten tourist road for a while and try this popular activity. Several companies offer guided walks.

Make sure to try everything in an Irish breakfast- bacon, sausages, fried eggs, white pudding, fried tomato, black pudding, and soda bread or brown bread. Wash it all down with a couple of cups of Barry’s or Irish breakfast tea, not coffee!

7. Ensure a potato-based food item accompanies every meal.

The Irish are experts when it comes to cooking with potatoes. Have shepherd’s pie or lamb stew with mashed potatoes, eat a bowl of potato soup, or enjoy some fish and chips. The possibilities are endless.

Irish roads are small and winding but this shouldn’t stop you from driving like a local. Don’t forget to drive on the left side of the road and look both ways before turning!

9. Quote Joyce, Yeats, or take a risk and go Wilde!

You can’t go wrong with quoting some of Ireland’s best known writers. Haven’t read much by Joyce? That’s okay, there’s now an app for that. Students at Boston College released Joyceways, an iphone app that is both an interactive tourist map and study companion. You’ll be quoting “Dubliners” in no time! Read more: Our top ten Irish novelists of all time 10. Have a good joke and a good story to tell.

The Irish are known as great storytellers and your new pub friends will all take a turn telling you one of their favorite stories. Make sure to have a story to share when it’s your turn! Read more: The best and worst Irish jokes